In 2005 he released his first official mixtape, Prince of the City: Welcome to Pistolvania, and later in 2006 he released his first full length street album entitled Show and Prove. Since then he has released a further six mixtapes and a collaboration mixtape titled How Fly with friend Curren$y. He released his debut album, Deal or No Deal, in November of 2009, it reached #1 on the iTunes hip hop chart, and then reached the top ten on iTunes' overall album chart the week it was released. Previously signed to Warner Bros. Records, he left the label in July 2009 after numerous delays in releasing his planned debut album for the label, First Flight. Khalifa stated to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that, "I learned a lot during my time there and matured as an artist during the process. I'm happy to be moving on with all of my material and having the chance to be in control of my next moves".He is also the founder of the rap crew Taylor Gang, which includes friends Kev Tha Hustler, Ekko, Smallz Money and Gene Stovall. They derived the name from the fact they always used to wear Chuck Taylor shoes.
Khalifa was born on September 8, 1987 in Minot, North Dakota to a mother and a father serving in the military. The family moved to Pittsburgh when Khalifa was the age of two. His parents' military service caused the family to move on a regular basis.
Over the next thirteen years, he would move between Pittsburgh and South Carolina, Georgia, Oklahoma, Germany, Japan, and England as his parents were reassigned to different posts. In October of 1990 Wiz was separated from his mother,who left him in the hands of her sister while she served in Operation Desert Storm.
During his travels, Wiz was forced to mature quicker than his peers. He was constantly faced with new surroundings, new schools, and new sets of friends, and he found it difficult to become attached to anyone outside his family roots. This nomadic life gave Wiz an opportunity, though, to broaden his mind and offered him many experiences from which to draw inspiration. He began to perceive the world differently than most kids, and he would write his thoughts down every day.These thoughts would become the foundation for his future recordings.
By the age of 14, with a few songs under his belt, Wiz was already drawing comparisons with his commanding voice and witty wordplay. While he has been influenced by artists such as Jay-Z, Camron, and the Notorious B.I.G., Wiz was determined to create his own identity that would, one day, be loved and revered by fans.
Ready to take the next step, Wiz began his search for a recording studio to record new songs. He found one, ID LABS, where owner Eric Dan immediately recognized Wiz's talents. Along with Chad Glick of ID Management, they began to network Wiz to another Pittsburgh native, Benjy Grinberg of Rostrum Records. Benjy realized the raw talent that Wiz possessed, and immediately brought him into the Rostrum family in 2002.
Soon after, Wiz Khalifa began his ascent into the music scene in the Pittsburgh area. He has been hailed by the award winning Pittsburgh Post-Gazette pop music critic, Ed Masley, as having “the skills, the looks, the confidence, the drive, and the charisma for the job.” The New Pittsburgh Courier says, “The combination of a young, charismatic M.C. with a slew of stop-and-rewind rhymes together with a local independent label with major industry connections has set the stage for a hip-hop artist representing Pittsburgh to reach superstar status for the first time ever.
In 2010, with the success of Kush and Orange Juice still present, Wiz Khalifa signed with Atlantic Records. Wiz's style along with his production team, Johnny Juliano, Sledgren, and E. Dan make this a winning combination for success.
He is also well known for his debut single for Atlantic, "Black and Yellow", which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. His debut album for the label, Rolling Papers, was released on March 29, 2011. He followed that album with O.N.I.F.C. (abbreviated for mainstream markets from "Only Nigga In First Class") on December 4, 2012 which was backed by the singles "Work Hard, Play Hard" and "Remember You". O.N.I.F.C. debuted at number two with 131,000 in first week sales.
Pittsburgh City Council declared 12-12-12 (December 12, 2012) to be Wiz Khalifa Day in the city. Khalifa graduated from Pittsburgh's Taylor Allderdice High School and in January 2012, purchased a home in nearby Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.
In April 2013, Khalifa revealed that after having his son he decided to work on a new album that he was planning to release in 2013. On April 17, 2013, Wiz Khalifa and Curren$y announced that they will drop their collaboration EP Live in Concert on April 20, 2013. The EP featured seven new songs. On June 24, 2013, he announced that his fifth studio album would be titled Blacc Hollywood and would be released in 2013. On September 3, 2013, Khalifa revealed he had recorded songs with Miley Cyrus, Adele and Juicy J for Blacc Hollywood. In October 2013, Mannie Fresh confirmed that he provided production for the album. On February 11, 2014, Khalifa released Blacc Hollywood's first single titled "We Dem Boyz". The album was then supported by the singles "KK", "You and Your Friends", "Stayin Out All Night", "Promises" and "So High".
Khalifa released an EP with TY Dolla $ign on March 31, 2015, entitled "Talk About It In the Morning". That same month, Wiz released the lead single for the film "Furious 7" called "See You Again" as a tribute to Paul Walker. The single has since gone on to global success. "See You Again" spent 12 non-consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, tying for the longest-running rap number-one hit in the US.
On January 23, 2015, Khalifa was featured on a remix release of the Fall Out Boy song "Uma Thurman". On May 18, they performed the song together on the 2015 Billboard Music Awards show. In the summer of 2015, he began touring the United States with Fall Out Boy and Hoodie Allen in a tour titled "The Boys of Zummer Tour". The tour featured performances of "Uma Thurman" by Fall Out Boy and Khalifa. Later that year, on December 15, 2015, Wiz released the mixtape "Cabin Fever 3". During the Golden Globes on January 10, 2016, Wiz announced that his next album, titled Khalifa, would be released on the 22nd of that month. However, the album was released on February 5, 2016. On May 24, 2016, he released "Pull Up", a standalone single in promotion of his sixth album, Rolling Papers 2, which was released on July 13, 2018.
On April 20, 2020, Khalifa released, The Saga of Wiz Khalifa. The album included collaborations with Tyga, Logic, Mustard and Ty Dolla $ign. In May 2020, Khalifa featured on the song "Drums Drums Drums" with Travis Barker.
In 2021, Khalifa competed in season five of The Masked Singer as "Chameleon". He finished in third place.
Not Ready
Wiz Khalifa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I'll tell you all about it
When I see you again
We've come a long way from where we began
Oh, I'll tell you all about it
When I see you again when I see you again
All the planes we flew
That I'd be standing right
Here talking to you 'Bout another path
I know we loved to hit the road and laugh
But something told me that it wouldn't last
Had to switch up look at things different
See the bigger picture
Those were the days hard work forever pays
Now I see you in a better place
Uh, how could we not talk about family
When family's all that we got?
Everything I went through you were
Standing there by my side
And now you be gon' with me for the last ride
It's been a long day without you my friend
And I'll tell you all about it
When I see you again
We've come a long way from where we began
Oh, I'll tell you all about it
When I see you again when I see you again
First you both go out your way
And the vibe is feeling strong
And what's small turn to a friendship
A friendship turned into a bond
And that bond will never be broken
And the love will never get lost
And when brotherhood come first
Then the line will never be crossed
Established it on our own
When that line had to be drawn
And that line is what we reached
So remember me when I'm gone
How could we not talk about family
When family's all that we got?
Everything I went through you were
Standing there by my side
And now you be gon' with me for the last ride
So let the light guide your way, yeah
Hold every memory as you go
And every road you take
Will always lead you home, home
It's been a long day without you my friend
And I'll tell you all about it
When I see you again
We've come a long way from where we began
Oh, I'll tell you all about it
When I see you again when I see you again
When I see you again (see you again, yeah)
When I see you again
The lyrics to Wiz Khalifa's song "See You Again" reflect on the loss of a close friend or loved one and the journey of grief and remembrance. The song was originally released as a tribute to actor Paul Walker, who passed away during the filming of the movie "Furious 7," to which the song served as a soundtrack. However, the lyrics can also be interpreted more broadly, encompassing the universal experience of losing someone dear.
The first verse expresses the longing felt for the departed friend, highlighting the emotional impact of their absence. It emphasizes the intention to share and recount all the experiences and memories when they reunite in the afterlife. The second verse reminisces about the shared experiences and adventures they had, expressing a sense of nostalgia and gratitude for the times they spent together. The lyrics acknowledge the awareness of something changing, leading to a shift in perspective and a realization that life is transient.
The chorus reinforces the theme of family, both chosen and biological, underscoring its importance during difficult times. The lyrics speak to the unconditional support and companionship the friend provided, acknowledging their presence during personal struggles. The chorus also hints at acceptance and release, bidding a final farewell and acknowledging that the departed friend will accompany them on their last journey.
The bridge of the song offers words of solace and guidance to the departed friend, encouraging them to follow the light and cherish the memories as they navigate their own path. It serves as a reassurance that no matter where they go, they will always find their way back home.
Overall, "See You Again" is a heartfelt tribute to the loss of a loved one, emphasizing the importance of family and the enduring impact of shared experiences and memories.
Line by Line Meaning
It's been a long day without you my friend
I have missed you a lot since you've been gone
And I'll tell you all about it
I will share all my experiences and emotions with you
When I see you again
When we reunite
We've come a long way from where we began
We have made significant progress and grown since our starting point
Oh, I'll tell you all about it
I will provide a detailed account of everything
When I see you again when I see you again
When we meet again
All the planes we flew
All the adventures we embarked on
Good things we've been through
All the positive experiences we shared
That I'd be standing right
I would be present
Here talking to you 'Bout another path
Here discussing a different direction in life
I know we loved to hit the road and laugh
I know we enjoyed traveling and having a great time
But something told me that it wouldn't last
But deep down, I had a feeling it wouldn't continue indefinitely
Had to switch up look at things different
I had to change my perspective and approach
See the bigger picture
Understand the larger context
Those were the days hard work forever pays
Those were the times when our efforts always yielded positive results
Now I see you in a better place
Now I imagine you being in a happier and more peaceful situation
Uh, how could we not talk about family
How could we not discuss the importance of our bond as family?
When family's all that we got?
When our family is all we have?
Everything I went through you were
You were there for me during every single thing I experienced
Standing there by my side
Supporting me unconditionally
And now you be gon' with me for the last ride
And now you will accompany me for the final journey
First you both go out your way
Initially, we both made an effort
And the vibe is feeling strong
And the connection feels intense
And what's small turn to a friendship
And our casual interaction developed into a deep friendship
A friendship turned into a bond
Our friendship evolved into a strong bond
And that bond will never be broken
And that bond will always remain unbreakable
And the love will never get lost
And the love we have for each other will never disappear
And when brotherhood come first
And when our bond as brothers is the highest priority
Then the line will never be crossed
Then we will never betray or harm each other
Established it on our own
We built this bond independently
When that line had to be drawn
When we had to set boundaries
And that line is what we reached
And that boundary is what we have achieved
So remember me when I'm gone
So keep me in your thoughts when I'm no longer here
Let the light guide your way, yeah
Allow positivity and enlightenment to lead you
Hold every memory as you go
Treasure and cherish every memory as you move forward
And every road you take
And every path you choose
Will always lead you home, home
Will always bring you back to a place of belonging
When I see you again (see you again, yeah)
When we reunite
When I see you again
When we meet again
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ProduceDaGains
2021. They ain’t ready. Always nice to come back and listen to the old tunes.
Ricardo Pozos-Guzman 🇧🇷
High school ditching with your friends to go get stoned then come back of course but stay high. Days of my life. No regrets.
ProduceDaGains
Right. These were the good days.
Francisco P
Song brings me back to simpler times
Excessive Media
Wiz at his prime
Brandon Benn
This that summertime shit! 🔥
AllBleektwo
damn this is too hard
Ces LA323
2018 they still ain’t ready
Norman Stolba
Such a sickkkkkkk beattttt
Chris A.
2019 l... They're not ready yet.